Back for folding chairs



June 19, 1934. a. DELAND BACK FOR FOLDING CHAIRS Filed April 9, 1931 I N VEN TOR. B W: jam/'21 56/4 711 B M v cfag ATTORNEYJ.

Patented June 19, 1934 usurp s'mrs PATENT :FFrcsi BACK FOE FGLDING CHAIRS Benjamin Deland, South Euclid, Ohio Application April 9, 1931, Serial No. 528,927

Claims. (o1. 155 -140) V My invention relates to folding chairs, and more particularly to a back for folding chairs. Chairs of the type with which my invention is designed to be combined are in wide use, and are of a number of varieties, my invention consisting of an improved back adapted to be used with any chair in which the seat folds.

An object of my invention is to provide'a back of light weight sheet metal for chairs used in camping, sport, and general outdoor purposes, which will fold down onto the seat and then fold with the seat into the legs in a manner most convenient in such chairs, forming a small compact bundle easily carried. It is a further object of my invention to provide a back that is conformable to the back of a person usingthe chair, to obtain the greatest amount of comfort. It is a further object of my invention to provide a back so braced thatit counteracts the heavy downward pressure imposed on a seat adapted to fold, such as a canvas seat or a seat hinged in the middle, making for more endurance and stability in the chair as a whole.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the. claims. The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a folding chair of the general type, with my proposed back attached; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a chair with the back folded down onto the seat; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the back and seat folded into the legs; Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the brace used in connection with the style of back in my invention.

The new and improved chair consists of a supporting frame or legs, a seat portion, and a back,

the entire structure being adapted to fold up to constitute a compact portable package. Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the chair is supported on four trapezoidal members 1 hinged together by the hinge 2 and being maintained in position by side ties or stays 3 and a bottom stay 4, the latter having a detachable clasp 5. The seat portion 6 is bent around the tops of the upper trapezoidal member 1, as shown in Fig. 3, and consists of overlapping plates '7 and 8 in pairs hinged centrally by the hinges 9. This leg and seat construction is described at length in Patent No. 1,774,197.

The presentinvention is concerned more particularly with a new form of back adapted to cooperate with the leg and seat structure described, such back consisting of'a metal strip 10 of considerable strength, around which are riveted back-supporting plates 11. The strip 10 is in two pieces joined at the center of the back byhinge 12 while the plates 11 are similarly-hinged by hinge 13. The back is supported in an erect position by braces 14 hinged at 15, the hingesv having lugs; 15 preventing outward movement of the braces. The braces 14 are pivotallyat tached to the vertical portions of the strip 10,

this strip having twists 16 at points justbelow the plates 11 so as to present a flat surface prop erly disposed for attachment of the braces.

The braces 14 are also attached to the seat 6" and the means employed for such attachment' are illustrated in detail in Fig. 4 showing a bracket 17-which is adapted to be riveted to the lower side of the seat through rivet holes 17'. This bracket is turned up at its rear end so as to fit over the end of the seat leaving the turned up portion 18 on the top surface of the seat. The portion 18 provides a support for a turned down flange 19 which is spaced a small distance from the body of the bracket and from the end of the seat. This flange 19 serves as a pivotal point of attachment for the back strip 10 on either side of the seat. The'other end of the bracket 17 also a has a downwardly depending flange 20 and a. groove 21 intervening between it and the body of the bracket. The lower end of the brace 14 is 90... pivotally attached to this flange while the groove 21 accommodates the horizontally extending portionof the upper trapezoidal member 1 around which the seat is riveted. Two of these brackets 17 are used, one on either end of the seat. 7

The continuous bracket 17 serving as a point of attachment for both the back strip 10 and the braces 14 is an important feature of the present invention since it resists stresses placed on the chair when in use. Pressure against the back exerts an upward pull on the front ends of the brackets 17 at their point of attachment 20 to the bracket while the weight of the user exerts a downward pressure on the seat which is communicated to the rear ends of the brackets 17 at the 'points18. Thus, the upward pressure on the front ends of the brackets tends to counteract the downward pressure on the rear endsof the brackets since the front and rear points are connected by a continuous integral element.

Due to the manner in which the chair is constructed allowing for the stresses set up in various portions thereof by the weight of the user, the article may be made up of very light materials while having the necessary strength to provide a secure and adequate support even for heavy people. However, it is also necessary in a portable chair that the same may be carried easily in a compact bundle without inconvenience. The present chair isadmirably adapted for transportation since all parts are readily collapsible to occupy a minimum of space. When it is desired to fold the chair, the braces 14 are bent at the hinges 15 and the back swings down into the seat about the flanges 19. The back will lie flat on'the seat and will extend slightly beyond the seat on either side so as to constitute a slightly wider seat if it is desired to use the structure in this way without a back. The legs are next released by unfastening the clasp 5 and bringing the legs up against the bottom of the seat 6. Now, due to the hinges 9 in the center of the seat and the hinges 12 and 13 on the back, as well as the hinges 2 which connect the leg members, the entire seat can be folded in the middleso that the legs enclose the seat and the seat, in turn, encloses the back. There results the extremely compact bundle shown in Fig. 3 of the-drawing which canbe readily carried by the leg hinge 2 as a handle.

The chair herein described is very comfortable while beinglight in weight and easily carried in collapsible form. The back is of a height most conducive to comfort when used by the average personandthe hinges in the center of the back permit a certain amount of yielding so as to curve the back andconform it to the body of the user. Further adjustment occurs at the point where the back is riveted tothe seat, further iyielding at this point also aiding the attainment of a comfortable position. .It is alsopossible to increase the comfort of the chairby placinga slip cover over the back so as to form a closed back and this expedient is particularly useful when the back is folded down and the chair used without a back support since the slip cover-then serves as a covering for the seat of the chair.

The present invention contemplates a portable. chair which may be compactly folded so that the back thereof is enclosed-within the seat and the seat inturn is enclosed within the legs, the whole constituting a compact structure when in portable-form such as has not beeniheretoforepro vided. r 7

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention maybe employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regardsthe equivalent of such statedmeans be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention.

1. A chair comprising a seat frame; a folding back and folding legs, said folding legs being attached to the sides of said seat frame, said folding back being attached to the rear portion of said seat frame, said seat and back being'made of substantially rigid sheet material sections, means providing loose hinge connections along the center of said seat and back and foldable bracing means between said seat and back, said back being foldable upon said seat and foldable within said seat.

2. A chair comprising a seat frame, a folding back and folding legs, said folding legs being attached to-the sides of said seat frame, said folding back being-attached to the rear portion of said seat frame, said seat and back being made of sheet metal sections, loose hinge connections between such sections'in the center of said seat and said back and foldable bracing means between said seat and back; said back being foldable upon said'seat and foldable within-said seat.

3. In afolding chair, a seat, a back-comprising a curved metal, strip consisting of two sections hinged together and constituting a horizontal top and vertical sides,-a back plate consisting of two flanges and-braces attachedtothe others'of said 1 flanges andto said "vertical sides adjacent saidback plate- 4. In a folding'chair, a seat having attached supportingrneans, unitary brackets attached to the margins: of said seat'and. having vertical flanges adjacent-their-ends, a back comprising a pair of curved metal strips hingedly connected to each. other and each including a horizontal topportionand a verticalside, said vertical sides I being pivotally attached to .one set of said vertical flanges, andbraces connecting said vertical sides withthe other set. of vertical flanges.

5. In a folding'chair, a seat ihaving attached supporting legs, unitary brackets attached to the margins of saidseat extending :fro-m'the rear of the seat topoints adjacent the front 'of' said seat," said bracketsihaving verticaldownturned flanges adjacent their ends, a back comprising mendbers having. verticalsides and pivotally connected horizontal top portions, said vertical sides being pivotally attached to the flanges at the rear of saidbrackets, and foldable braces pivotally connected to said vertical sides-and to the flanges at the front of said brackets.

BENJAMIN DELAND. 

